#Dartmouth Drive

[hunterrrs]

photos from here, I NEED FOOTAGE OF THIS. also this article is a great read. he’s invited some families who lost their homes in the halifax fires to practice:

By the time you read this, Pittsburgh Penguins players will have munched on the pudding known as haggis, made from the livers, hearts and lungs of sheep. And learned how to shuck oysters, in all their slimy, gooey glory.

All courtesy of Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh captain, who brought team building to an entirely new level on Saturday. From the moment months ago that he learned the Penguins would be playing here, Crosby was stoked. A proud native of Cole Harbour, 10 miles from Halifax, the 36-year-old began planning out his transformation from NHL star to tour guide.

“I think just the feel of it, the people, and to see the excitement for the game,” Crosby said Friday. “And just to get around the city a little bit, those types of things.

“It’s somewhere that I’m really proud of, and I hope everyone enjoys themselves there.”

In order to do that, he set something up with a unique Maritime flavor. Welcome to “The Amazing Race: Crosby Edition.”

“When Sidney found out the team was coming here, he wanted to find a fun way to celebrate his hometown with his teammates and educate them on why it’s such a special place,” his father, Troy, said.

He seems to have done exactly that.

After a morning of golf Saturday, the unsuspecting Penguins set out on an “Amazing Race”-like scavenger-hunt competition that would take them through the streets of Cole Harbour, Dartmouth and downtown Halifax, and across Halifax Harbour on a ferry.

Under the format, the players were divided into teams. They were given instructions of where to go, what venues to visit and what tasks they were to do (e.g., eating haggis, shucking oysters), all while going up against the clock.

The instructions came on laminated cards featuring the Penguins logo and a “Welcome to Cole Harbour” greeting.

The message on one of the cards read, “Every player has to shuck two oysters and eat them or have a teammate eat them on their behalf. Careful with that knife, and don’t break any shells!”

Crosby enlisted the help of Paul Mason, one of his baseball and minor hockey coaches, to help plan the event. Mason was paramount in setting up the three Cole Harbour Stanley Cup celebrations in Crosby’s honor, and No. 87 didn’t hesitate when it came to the perfect person to set up this event.

“In organizing this, when he talked to me about it, he wants this entire weekend to be pretty special for the community, for his teammates, for everyone around him,” Mason said. “You can sense how much these few days mean to him. You could sense his anticipation for months.”

Mason said that even though Crosby is the host for his teammates this weekend, he’s going to try to win everything: golf, the scavenger hunt, the preseason game Monday, you name it.

“He’s competitive at everything, even as a little kid when I was coaching him,” Mason said. “And that hasn’t changed.

“When the NHL was shut down during COVID, his dad Troy and I played Sidney and one of his friends in a golf match. They should have won, but somehow we did. He didn’t accept that. He said it was two out of three. When we won the second one he said it was three out of five. We ended up playing seven of them. The seventh one was in December with snow on the ground. They won that one to take the series 4-3. Suddenly that was acceptable because they’d won.

“Once they’d finally won, it was over,” Mason said with a laugh.

During some of those summers, Greenwood has helped organize some of the offseason skates featuring Crosby, MacKinnon and Marchand at a local arena. The competitiveness gets intense at times, something Greenwood said helps all three drive each other.

“Yeah, they’re friends,” he said. “But when they start playing against each other at times, you’d never know it. They want to beat one another at any and all costs.

“You can see how that drive, that determination, that win-at-all-costs attitude rubs off on some of the younger guys.”

Count Drake Batherson as one of them. The 25-year-old Senators forward grew up in New Minas, 50 miles northwest of Halifax, and has been training during the offseason with Crosby, Marchand and MacKinnon since 2019. He calls those workouts “one of my favorite times of the year.”

As such, he’s looking forward to facing Crosby and the Penguins in Halifax on Monday.

“I've still got posters of the Penguins and Sid on my wall at my parents' house, so it's pretty fun now that me and Sid have built a relationship and we're buddies," Batherson said. "It's pretty cool looking back on it.”

It was a tough spring and summer for Nova Scotia.

In late May and early June, wildfires raged through the outskirts of Halifax and throughout the province. More than 16,000 people were forced to evacuate as a result, many eventually returning to find their homes were nothing more than heaps of smoldering ashes.

Less than two months later, the area was hit with record rainfall that caused historic flooding. Water did seep into Crosby’s home, though to nowhere near the extent of some others where people pretty much lost everything.

“The area has been through a lot,” he said. “But the great thing about some of these communities, and the area in general, is that everyone sticks together and everyone’s willing to help each other.

“I think when you’ve seen adverse times here over the years, you’ve seen people come together more and more. And I think we take a lot of pride in that here. The fact that people know they can depend on each other is huge. I think we’ve shown that time and time again, and there’s pride that comes with that.”

Crosby is doing his part to teach local kids exactly that.

On Sunday, the Penguins will hold a practice at Cole Harbour Place. Hundreds of children from the local minor hockey systems have been invited to attend and take part in a Q&A session with some Pittsburgh players and, with a select few kids getting to go on the ice with them.

Part of that group will be kids from minor hockey whose families lost their homes in the fires. Crosby specifically wanted them to attend, with Mason helping to make it happen. Given the trauma they and their families have gone through, it is Crosby’s way of trying to brighten up their lives, even if it’s just for one afternoon.

“That’s Sid, right?” Greenwood said. “He’s going to have an impact on these kids, both on the ice and off.”

He already has.

In 2009, Crosby established the Sidney Crosby Foundation, an organization that improves the lives of children who are sick or struggling. More recently, Crosby and several foundation board members created Nova Scotia Showdown T-shirts heading into the game Monday, with proceeds going to his foundation.

“He’s helping young kids who are going through hard times, and he’s being a role model for young hockey players in the province,” Mason said. “He’s going out of his way to show his Penguins a good time here, and he’s being a great ambassador for the community.”

Greenwood agrees.

“It’s a privilege,” he said, “to say you live in the same place as someone like that.”

[mindblowingscience]

A Dartmouth-led study by more than 50 climate scientists worldwide provides the first clear projection of how carbon emissions may drive the loss of Antarctica's ice sheet over the next 300 years. The future of Antarctica's glaciers after 2100 becomes uncertain when looking at existing ice-sheet models individually, the researchers report in the journal Earth's Future. They combined data from 16 ice-sheet models and found that collectively, the projections agree that ice loss from Antarctica will increase, but gradually, through the 21st century, even under current carbon emissions.

Continue Reading.

[semiconductorwave]

The Genuine Cyberpunk Ambient Music Playlist Created: October 2015 Last modified: November 2024 Playtime: 4 hours+ Views: 22633

DreamWeb - Sweet Dreams

Crusader: No Remorse - Rebel Base 1 Extended

Fornax Void - Perimeter Sentinel Operations

Ghost in the Shell - Floating Museum

Burn Cycle: Kris VR

Percival Pembroke - Symphony No. 2 in F Minor (Excerpt)

Deus Ex - UNATCO Information (EXTENDED)

Jagged Alliance 2 - Laptop Theme

Fornax Void - VISITOR (EXTENDED)

Deus Ex - UNATCO Headquarters

Percival Pembroke - Dartmouth Basic

Fornax Void - Corporate Intranet Menu Music

In Pursuit of Greed - OST Probe 1

Oscillator - Megapolis - Kurzweil K2000

robocop.mp3

Fornax Void - Termination Protocol

Fallout 2 - Dream Town

Deus Ex - Majestic 12 Labs

Crusader: No Remorse - Mission 15

NECROS - Particle Control (EXTENDED AMBIENT LOOP)

Fornax Void - Cyberspace Database

X-COM Apocalypse - Dawn Over Barrier Walls

DreamWeb - Time Runs Out

Uplink - Serenity

Snatcher - Theme of Jamie

Fornax Void - Lohengrin Systems Consortium

Percival Pembroke - Impression STYLE (for RISC chipset)

Amun Dragoon Mix

Fornax Void - The Future of Void Corp.

Fallout 1 - Metallic Monks

Unreal - Dusk Horizon

Master of Orion 2 - Galactic Theme 3 (EXTENDED)

Lands of Lore 2 - Huline Jungle

Mirror's Edge - Flight

Satoshi & Makoto - Casio CZ-5000 Sounds & Sequences 1

Percival Pembroke - Beneath Apple Manor

Alpha Centauri - Gaia's Landing

Might and Magic VIII - Exploration Theme 1

Eve Burst Error - Room (Marina)

Demolition Man (MEGA DRIVE) - Library

Alpha Centauri - Yang's Planetfall

Waterworld (SNES) - Map Screen (EXTENDED)

Jurassic Park 2 (SNES) - Lethal Gas

Alpha Centauri - Morgan Industries

Fornax Void - Arcology Maintenance Hotline

Waterworld (SNES) - Shop (EXTENDED)

Custom Unreal Tournament Music - Mechanism Eight

Fornax Void - Music for Dystopian Concrete Buildings- more...

[littlespidermonkey]

I think in the universe where the Cullens aren't in Forks, Bella Swan takes a while to come out of her shell, but when she does, she's witty and passionate and smart as a whip, even if she's still quiet and reserved. She sits with Jessica Stanley, who demands the best of everyone, and tells her friends about her boyfriend down on the rez, who is sweet and caring and funny and good with his hands, who works for everything he's ever had.

After class, during a sleepover, Bella whispers to tell Angie and Jess about the night after prom, even though her father, loving and careless, worries about her only a normal amount and loves Jacob Black like his own. When she gets into Dartmouth--all by herself, through study sessions in garages and with Jessica and in Angela's house--she chooses to go to Stanford instead. She misses the heat and light on her skin, even after falling in love with the rain. Jessica comes with her; Angela and Eric go to U of Washington in Seattle instead, for education and journalism respectively.

Bella makes sure to call every week and then one day she drives down to Seattle and her boyfriend, warm like the sun she loves and at least twice as reliable, becomes her fiancé. The ring isn't especially big or ornate or pricey, but the way she smiles could trick anyone into thinking that it was. All of her friends, new and old, are waiting at the small party afterwards, and Bella laughs the entire time. The engagement cake--chocolate, her favourite--is sweet and moist against her tongue.

She moves back to Forks once she gets her masters in information sciences and becomes the town's librarian. She gets married a month before the move, barefoot in the surf and her old prom dress, both her parents weeping with joy and Billy Black beaming damn near as bright as his son, Sue Clearwater holding his hand.

She raises her kids --both beautiful children, blessed with Jake's thick, long hair--with Angela and Eric's and takes them down to Los Angeles to visit their auntie Jess and her husband Quil, who lavishes them with gifts from her career as a top surgeon. She jokes about having to support Quil's career as an environmental lawyer and displays each and every one of his wins alongside her diplomas. When William Black II decides he wants to be a doctor too, she writes him a shining letter of recommendation to her alma mater. Sarah, who has always been the spitting image of her father, joins and eventually takes over Jacob's mechanic shop.

On occasion, Bella fights with Jacob, even though he's the love of her life. Despite this, she is never afraid of him, and he never stops her from doing what she wants. Instead, he goes out and works on his cars and comes back in an hour later with slightly greasy hands and a bouquet of flowers from Emily Young's little garden, planted to celebrate her cousin Leah Uley's wedding. Bella makes him muffins, recipe courtesy of Sue and missing bites courtesy of Seth, Colin, Sarah, Will, and Claire, with raspberries, not blueberries, just how Jake likes them. They make up, and they make changes, and they go on.

Eventually, both slower and quicker than she realizes, Bella gets old. She lives in fear of losing herself, of losing her husband and her children, like her grandmother had. But she remembers her grandkids to the very end, even gets to meet her first great-grandchild a week before it happens. Her heart gives out before her brain does, too weak and too slow.

It was too full of love, the letter from Jacob says. Sarah reads it. Her father passed a day after his wife--simply too heartbroken to live without her. Much of the town of Forks and hordes of family attend their funeral, remembering a life well lived.

It is an unremarkable life, in the grand scheme of things. She does not live to be a thousand; she is no great beast, with speed like the wind and strength; she does not discover her powers or lead a great defiance. Bella Black, happy and human and surrounded by love, could never imagine wanting anything else.

[jerzwriter]

Kaycee reflects on how life turned out exactly as she imagined it and how it didn't when she and Ethan dropped their daughter off at college for the first time. When they leave, they know their journey will lead them back to Boston, but will it lead them home?

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan x Kaycee (Past) Rating: Teen Words: 3,800 (sorry!) Summary: Please see above. A/N: This really took on a life of its own! @tessa-liam asked for two prompts from this list, and I merged it in with an anonymous ask from the same list. The three prompts are highlighted below, and they made for an angsty story! I hope you enjoy it!

This is not part of my HC - but a one-off, one-shot.

Participating in @julychallenge Pink: Love, Black: Loss.

Kaycee raised a cup of hot chocolate to her lips and smiled. It didn’t matter that she was now in her forties; she’d always prefer its silky, sweet taste more than coffee, and she didn’t care who knew it.

Sitting in the passenger seat of Ethan's parked car, she closed her eyes to listen to the sound of a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves outside; the moment felt almost perfect. It was exactly the day she had envisioned when she imagined dropping Emma off for her first semester of college. But as quickly as the thought entered her mind, she heard Ethan’s voice and was reminded – it wasn’t exactly as she had planned.

She stepped out of the car as they walked down a tree-lined path toward the car, Ethan’s arm wrapped protectively around their daughter’s shoulder.

“Now remember, you do not go out alone at night, no matter what. Wait for your roommate, another friend, or call campus security.”

"Yes, Dad," Emma said rolling her eyes. "You seem to forget I grew up in Boston – I have street smarts, Dad.”

The young woman looked to her mother, desperate for a save, and Kaycee reached out to embrace Emma one last time.

“Ethan, I don’t want to leave her either, but it’s getting dark, and it’s a long ride back to Boston.”

Ethan smiled tenderly as he stared at his “little girl.”

“It’s funny. I always imagined it would be me dragging you away, not the other way around.”

“Well,” Kaycee smiled curtly, “life has a way of surprising us.”

It had already been three years. Three years since their assets were divided, custody was determined, and with the scribbling of two signatures on a lifeless document, a marriage of almost twenty years came to an end. They’d come a long way since that painful day. Being in each other’s presence no longer elicited queasiness. The sight of each other didn't lead to dampened eyes or a feeling of guilt that consumed them. Still, it wasn’t easy. But today, they did what they always did best – they showed up for their daughter.

It was a two-hour drive from Boston to Hanover, New Hampshire. Ethan had hoped she’d pick his alma mater, Brown, where she’d only be 52 minutes away. But Kaycee reminded him that Emma’s top pick was originally UCLA. All things considered, Dartmouth wasn’t that far. But when Emma asked if they could all drive her to campus together, that two-hour journey suddenly felt much longer.

They were all surprised at how pleasant the ride up had been. Emma was a ball of nervous energy and chattering non-stop. The joy of heading off to college was mixed with the fear of being away from both her parents for the first time was familiar to her parents, and they both offered reassurance. They marveled over how it felt like it wasn’t so long ago that they were off to college – beginning their adult lives – at the starting line of all their dreams. They hoped Emma would realize as many of hers as they had, but they hoped other dreams would have happier endings than theirs.  

“...and I’m thinking I might double major,” she said without taking a breath. “Because Poli Sci is what I want to do... that’s my passion... but if I want to get into a top-tier law school, I think double majoring in English would be beneficial.”

“Sweetheart,” Kaycee smiled from the backseat. “Why don’t you get through your first semester? Then you can make that call.”

Ethan shook his head with a gentle chuckle. “Can someone tell me how a child with two parents who are renowned in the medical field is hell-bent on becoming a lawyer?”

“Dad,” Emma exasperated. “You always told me to pursue whatever I wanted to...”

“And I meant it,” he interrupted. “But you have to admit, this was unexpected.”

They arrived on campus and unpacked Ethan’s Porche Cayenne – the SUV Kaycee insisted was his mid-life crisis, even though he had already passed that point when he bought it. They could have left as soon as all the boxes were in the dorm room, but they refused to leave until her new bedspread was in place, the matching curtains hung, and little fairy lights twinkled around the perimeter of the room.

With no excuses to stay left, Kaycee turned to her daughter, her voice cracking with emotion. “Well, I guess this is it.”

“Mom!” Emma scolded. “We said no crying.”

“I know. But my baby’s all grown up. I’m entitled to a tear or two.”

The mother and daughter were wrapped in a hug when Ethan returned to the room holding a cardboard tray with two cups of coffee and one hot chocolate – he was elated that his daughter had his refined tastes in hot beverages.

“What did I miss here?” He asked.

“Mom’s starting to get weepy,” Emma smirked.

Kaycee wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Just finishing our goodbyes,” she said. “I’ll go to the car to give you two some privacy.”

“You don’t have to leave...” Ethan started, but when he realized his ex-wife was about to burst into the tears she had promised Emma she’d hold back, he understood. “Fine,” he said, handing her his keys. “Why don't you wait in the car?”

Kaycee adjusted the passenger seat, admiring the soft leather. Ethan had always preferred to drive, and she’d spent a good portion of her life sitting beside him, but it was the first time she sat in this car, purchased right after their divorce. Remembering a life now lost was already difficult, but her mind rushed to places she had no desire to go.

Ethan had never been forthcoming about his relationships since their split. Of course, she had heard the rumors... some said he was dating the new Director of Nursing, others swore he and Harper had rekindled their old flame. But she never asked Ethan about them; it wasn’t her place. Their conversations revolved around Emma, and that’s how she kept it. Still, as she sat in a seat she once coveted, she couldn’t help but wonder if others now filled that space.

The sound of the driver’s door opening quickly ushered her back to reality, and she was grateful she could blame her tear-filled eyes on Emma.

Ethan turned to her with a tender smile that Kaycee hadn’t seen in some time. “She’s going to be OK," he reassured.

“Oh, I have no doubt about that,” she replied, dabbing her eyes. “It’s me that I’m worried about.”

Ethan had to chuckle. “I know that feeling quite well.”

An awkward silence fell between them. At another time, they would have hugged and offered each other assurances. He would have told her their new chapter was beginning, too. They could focus on the dreams they had planned together, but now, he just fumbled to find a classical music playlist as he started the drive.

“Thank you for agreeing to drive up together,” he finally spoke.

“Of course. Emma wanted both of us here. I’d never deny her that.”

“No, but if I’m being honest, I half expected you to tell me you were taking a Greyhound on the return trip home.”

A slow smile spread on her lips, and she confessed. “I did price them.”

“I bet you did,” he laughed.

The conversation turned to the other comfortable topic between them: Medicine. He lauded her recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, and he told her when he planned to retire. Kaycee reminded him that Emma embracing law wasn’t too odd; after all, it had been her second career choice, too. He quickly reminded her that he remembered. He remembered more than she knew.

They drove for about an hour when a pinging sound began getting louder and louder. Kaycee tried not to chuckle when the expensive car came to a halt, knowing her trusty old Toyota would have never stranded them like this. Ethan looked under the hood, then returned to the car with a sigh.

“Tripple A will be here shortly,” he informed. “There’s a Porche dealer a few miles away, but of course, they’re closed until the morning.”

“Of course,” she half grinned.

Ethan turned to her with a smirk, and she couldn’t decide if it was one of annoyance or amusement, so she decided to believe it was a little of both.

“Are you enjoying this?” He said sarcastically.

“I always told you that simple was better when it came to cars. There’s no need for the expensive bells and whistles.”

“Yeah,” He chuckled sadly. “You told me a lot of things.”

“I’d tell you what Greyhound could get us back to Boston, but the last one left forty minutes ago... “

“Yep! I think we’re stranded here for the night, too. Not just my car.”

When the Tripple A driver arrived, Ethan and Kaycee hopped into the cab of his tow truck.

“There is a hotel nearby,” the man said. “I’m happy to bring you there. But there might not be any vacancy. A lot of local colleges are welcoming students this weekend, and a lot of parents who aren’t letting go stay nearby.”

“Yeah,” Kaycee barked out a laugh. “We’re familiar with that!"

“Oh, I see,” the man grinned. “You’re those parents. Well, as someone who has been through this, I can tell you it gets easier. Just think of it as the start of your second honeymoon.”

“Oh, no, we’re not...” Kaycee started but decided to skip it as they pulled up to a Comfort Inn. “You know, never mind.”

“This is the only place around here,” the driver informed. “If you can get a ride, there are more places about twenty miles down the road.”

Ethan looked at his watch. “The vacancy light is on, and it’s been a long day. This will do just fine.”

Kaycee ran to the restroom in the lobby while Ethan went to the front desk to secure rooms. When she stepped back out, she saw him grimace.

“Before I tell the desk clerk yes, are you sure you don't want to get an Uber to another hotel?”

Kaycee scrunched her nose. “An Uber in these parts? At this time of night? Unlikely. What’s the matter,” she chuckled. “Did you check the reviews and find out it’s not a five-star rating?”

“No, wiseass,” he smiled, enjoying the banter that used to be part of his daily life. “The problem is, they only have one room left.”

“Oh,” Kaycee said with a fallen face.  

“Exactly.”

“Well,” she laughed nervously. “We’ve round ourselves in this position before, haven’t we?”

Both their minds drifted to the conference in Miami during Kaycee’s intern year.

“Yes,” Ethan replied. “But that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”

“Ethan,” Kaycee shrugged. “We’ve been in each other’s lives for decades. We have a child together. We can share a room for one night unless...”

Unless there is someone in your life who would prefer you didn’t, she thought as Ethan asked her to continue.

“Uhm, never mind. We’ll be fine for one night.”

The walk to their room was peppered with small talk in an attempt to break the tension. But they were both so tired that they really didn’t care. They’d fall asleep, wake up, and find a way home. Everything would be back to normal. That's what they thought until Ethan opened the door.

“There’s only one bed?” Kaycee gasped.

“The front desk said there were two queen-sized beds!” Ethan insisted.

“Well, by my calculations, there is only ONE.”

“Obviously, they were wrong.”

“Noooo!” Kaycee mocked to Ethan’s chagrin. He looked around the tiny room; the only other furniture was an uncomfortable looking chair and desk.

“I’ll sleep in the chair,” he declared.  

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Kaycee insisted. “Ethan, it’s not like we haven’t slept in the same bed before.”

“Yeah... that was the norm for us... until that... changed.”

They exchanged an uneasy look, and both understood the best thing to do was go to sleep quickly. After kicking off their shoes, they both lay perched on the edge of the mattress, facing away from the other. Though they weren’t touching each other at all, their presence was obvious, and as exhausted as they were, suddenly, neither could sleep.

“Kaycee, are you still awake?” Ethan whispered.

“Yes.”

“How is our little girl already in college?”

“I don’t know,” she said sadly. “The years just flew by. And it’s odd because some of those days and weeks felt like an eternity, but I turned around twice...” she audibly gulped. “... and they were gone.”

The room went silent; all Kaycee could hear was her ex-husband's breathing. “So many precious days,” he lamented. “I know I haven’t thanked you enough."

“Me?” a startled Kaycee replied.

“You’re the only one here,” he chuckled. "Emma is a remarkable young woman, and I’m not just saying that because she’s my daughter."

“I know she is,” Kaycee laughed, rolling on her side to face Ethan, who had already turned her way.

“Well, that’s in large part because of you, and I should thank you more often.”

“You’re just as responsible,” Kaycee insisted. “You’re an amazing father, Ethan. You always were.”

He fell silent, hoping the darkness of the room would prevent Kaycee from seeing the emotion in his eyes, though there was no way to conceal it in his voice. If I had been an amazing father, I wouldn’t have let our family end. If I had been an amazing father, I would have fought harder for us to work, he thought, but all that came out was a broken.

“Thank you. You know, when you walked into Edenbrook all those years ago, I had no idea how much my life was about to change,” he smiled as Kaycee shifted uncomfortably.

“Ethan... it’s probably best if we don’t talk about this. I think we should just....”

With that, the lights flicked on, and Ethan was sitting upright.

“Why not?” he asked. “Not making time to talk is where everything started to go wrong for us.”

“It was,” she concurred. “But the time to fix that passed a long time ago. The ink on our divorce papers is long dry, Ethan. This isn't how it works.”  

“It can work anyway we want it to,” he countered. “Kaycee, we may not be together anymore, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be a part of each other’s lives.”

“We’ll always be a part of each other’s lives. We have Emma.”

“I don’t mean because of Emma. I want you to be a part of my life because, with the exception of our daughter, you've been the single most important person in my life. For the past three years, I’ve felt like a stranger in my own soul without you. I miss hearing your voice. I miss your laugh. When I have exciting news, you're the only one I want to tell it to. I want you to be more than the person I arrange drop-offs with, and now that Emma is grown, we won’t even have that.”

“Are you telling me you want to be friends? She asked.

No. I don’t want to be friends. I want us to be so much more, and I wish I had the nerve to say it.

“Ethan,” she repeated after an extended silence. She saw the tears glistening in his eyes as he reached over and pushed a strand of hair away from her face.

“Friends.... or something,” he choked.

Kaycee’s head fell into her hands, partly because she was tired, partly because she was trying not to cry.  

“Ethan, where did it all go wrong?”

Their minds drifted back in time to the days of trying to manage two busy careers with the needs of their child, long days filled with demands, exhaustion, and the feeling that they could never get it right. Sometimes, they fought; sometimes, they held it all in. Sometimes they turned the guilt inward... they weren’t good enough, they were failing, they should be better at this... and sometimes, they projected it onto the other... "You never...", "You used to...", "I can't believe you..." In time, they learned being alone isn't the worst feeling in the world, being in a relationship, but feeling alone was, and when the loneliness became too much to bear, they decided it should end.

“Why did we let it go?" Kaycee sniffled. “There was no affair, no hatred, even our fights weren’t all that bad. Our marriage was like a boat, just drifting away as we watched, and neither of us thought enough to help it change its course.”

“We were focused on work,” Ethan sighed with regret. “Focused on Emma. Then we had elderly parents to care for... it took so much of our time that in the end, we forgot to focus on each other.”

“But we knew what we had was special. Why the hell didn’t we fight for it!”

“You wanted to,” Ethan whispered. “You wanted to. I... I blame myself.”

“Ethan, you weren’t the only one responsible for our marriage ending.”

“I’m the one who stormed out of counseling, telling the counselor that it was absolutely useless. I’m the one who began to withdraw. You begged me to try.”

Feelings they believed to be long buried began to rise to the surface again, and the pain was as raw as it had ever been.

“You withdrew... but I never asked you why you did. I let my imagination get the better of me and...”

“And?”

“Did you stop loving me?” She asked, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

“No!” Ethan gasped. “Oh, God no, I never once stopped loving you.”

“I allowed myself to believe that you did,” she said, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “I felt like an obligation... like if we didn't have a piece of paper decreeing that we had to be together, you'd be long gone. And I swore I’d never be in a marriage like that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I thought I did,” Kaycee replied. “Maybe not with words, but with actions. I tried to give signs, but..."

“Kaycee, I never learned to read  your mind.”

“I know that... and that’s why I’m as responsible as you for letting our marriage die.”

“I wish I would have fought harder,” Ethan wept as Kaycee’s floodgates opened.

“Me too,” she shuddered. “Me too.”

Ethan instinctively reached for her hand, surprised when Kaycee fell into his arms. His arms encircled her and held her close. Both were overwhelmed by the warmth and familiarity, a feeling of comfort from a time long gone when they were each other’s port in a storm. When they were each other's home.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan cried. “I’m sorry I let it end.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Kaycee cried into his shirt. Ethan went to pull away, but she refused to let him go.

“Please... can you hold me just a little longer?"

“Of course,” he whispered, resting his head on hers as she nuzzled into his shoulder.

Comforted by his touch, Kaycee fell into a deep sleep and slept better than she had in a long time. But Ethan found no such relief; he remained awake all night, never letting her out of his arms until he got up in the early morning hours.

The sun was shining through the window, and Ethan was seated at the desk with an abysmal cup of coffee in hand when Kaycee woke up with a startle.

“Hey, are you OK?” he asked, as she groggily nodded. He moved to the edge of the bed and sat beside her. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing... you’re here,” she replied.

“Did you forget? The car broke down, we had to stay here, there was only one room...”

“No... no,” Kaycee stopped him. “I remember all that. I just had a bad dream. I dreamt that you left me during the night, and I woke up alone.”

“Well, you made sure I couldn’t do that, even if I had wanted to,” he smiled. “You basically slept on top of me all night.”

“I did!”

“You did," he smiled. "Did you at least sleep well?"

“Like a baby – and you?”

“I slept OK,” he fibbed, pointing to the paper cup on the desk. “That cup of swill parading as coffee should help wake me up a little more.”

“Yeah,” she laughed. “I think I’ll make myself a cup, too. If you have to suffer through it, I should, too.”

She flung her legs over the side of the bed, but Ethan grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the mattress.

“Kaycee, I have to tell you something before I lose my nerve.”

A line formed between her brows. “What... what is it?”

“I need to tell you what I should have said three years ago. That I’m sorry. I took us for granted and allowed life to come between us, which was so foolish because you... you were my life. I've felt like a stranger wandering in a strange land where he no longer belongs for the past three years. See, I love you, Kaycee. I never stopped, and the biggest regret of my life is that I let you go. So, I know the answer is probably no, maybe you'll think I’m crazy, and I could be... but is there a chance... any possibility that you and I could try again. If we can, I promise, I'll get it right this time."

He sat in nervous anticipation in every silent moment that followed. Kaycee’s eyes were wide, and her lip trembled, but he wasn’t sure why. It was taking too long. It was taking too long, and he braced himself for rejection... the rejection he now realized that he had feared so desperately that he found it easier to let her go. But it only took a moment for all that to change.

Kaycee threw her arms around his neck, holding him tight as she peppered him with kisses and pushed him back on the bed. Her lips found his, and they came together; their hearts raced as it deepened, their hands caressing the curves they still knew by heart. At long last, they were home.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he smiled breathlessly.

 “What gave it away?” she giggled, kissing him again. “But we have to take it slow. You’re the love of my life, and I want this to work more than anything, but we have to think of Emma. The divorce was hard on her, and we can’t let her know about this until we’re sure... 100% sure... that we’re forever.”

“I agree,” he smiled, his hands running through her hair. “You take all the time you need, but I know... if you’ll have me... this is forever. I don’t want to know a day without you again.”

“Can I have a week or two?" she grinned.

“As long as I can see you during every one of those days.”

After another lengthy kiss, Ethan reached for the hotel phone.

“What are you doing?” Kaycee asked.

“Calling the front desk.”

“Why?”

“Because check out is in a half hour, and we’re going to need this room longer.”

"Are we," she grinned. "I'm not on the schedule tomorrow; what about you?"

“Me?" Ethan beamed. "I’ll be calling out.”

"Good," Kaycee smiled, "Because we're going to need this room for another night."

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[mybeingthere]

Sarah Amos, originally from Australia, left home after receiving a BFA in Printmaking from RMIT, to attend the Tamarind Institute of Lithography in New Mexico. In 1992 she became a certified Tamarind Master Printer in Lithography. In 1998 Sarah became the Master Printer for the Vermont Studio Center Press until 2008 and during this time she also received an MFA from the University of Northern Vermont. Sarah has been an Adjunct Professor at Dartmouth, Williams and Bennington Colleges teaching Printmaking and Drawing since 2007.

Sarah tells: "I grew up in a very artistic family, which I initially took for granted. It was not until I was in my teens that I realized the great accomplishments of the artisans within my family. My grandfather, Len Annois, was an accomplished student of naturalism who specialized in landscape painting and large Fresco murals and devoted his life to his work, and my grandmother, Mavis, was a gifted ceramicist and weaver. One of my favorite memories was going into my grandfather’s large studio, fossicking around and playing with all the painting and ceramic tools, charcoal drawings and paintings.

My mother, Rosie, has also been a huge influence as she, too, is a talented artist; she has worked in landscape and abstract painting, fashion and interior design. My mother is a whirlwind of creative energy, and when I was a child, was regularly covered in paint, flour or fabric, while making things on various tables all over the house, with a dog often curled up beneath her feet. She wanted to work with her hands and to make beautiful objects that in return gave her deep satisfaction. Her drive and commitment were infectious. I witnessed and absorbed all of this creativity from the edge of the table.

When I got older, I went to art school in Australia and received an undergraduate degree in printmaking. I soon left Australia for Albuquerque, New Mexico where I had been accepted into Tamarind Institute, an institute that solely focused on lithography (lithography is a printmaking technique that includes drawing with grease pencils and washes onto limestone blocks, chemically treating it to offset onto paper). I loved the alchemy and hands-on physicality of lithography.

[magnus-institute-london-official]

CW: Flesh themes, skin picking Part 1/?

Statement of Elle Finngal, regarding her belief that her skin is changing Original Statement given November 3rd, 2015 Statement Begins

I can feel your staff staring at me. Normally I would be inclined to march right up to them and give them a piece of my mind, about how rude it is to stare or something but… Well I know how I look. Even covered in layers, I can’t hide…

Let me start at the beginning, how you asked me to.

It all started in July, I think. I was on holiday to Dartmouth, and my girlfriends convinced me that we should head down to this beach called Blackpool Sands. It was nice, we all had a good time, but it was way too hot out. The sun was blazing down on us, and I got so caught up in swimming that I forgot to reapply my sun cream and well… I got an awful burn, practically all over.

One of my friends had to drive me back to the hotel we were in, and the trip was so painful! Every surface felt like it was stabbing and poking me, and even where I wasn’t touching something, my skin felt like it radiated heat! Liza, that's who drove me back, tried to lay down some towels on the front seat so that I wouldn't have to touch my burnt skin to a hot car seat, but somehow it was worse, like each little fiber was needling into my skin, a seeking sort of feeling.

Liza, bless her, stopped at a corner shop and picked me up some aloe vera and painkillers, before dropping me back off at the hotel. She said her and the girls would be back later, as they still wanted to enjoy themselves. Looking back, it was pretty reasonable, as she should get to enjoy what was her vacation as well, but… I’m not sure, I think the pain was getting to me, so I snapped at her, something about abandoning me and ,hell, I think I blamed her for not packing strong enough sunscreen. We got into a bit of a row before she drove off in a huff. I stormed into my room and drew myself a nice cold bath.

What happened next was… a bit of a blur. I remember applying the aloe, but it just made my skin feel… weak? Like it was loose on my body or something, and the bath was just even worse, felt like I had a loose shirt on over my muscles more than skin. I looked, and everything was fine, my skin was still fire engine red and not hanging off of my body.

But when I got out of the bath, I looked in the mirror and… well, some of the skin on my face was irritated, and I could see some of the dead skin just waiting to be peeled off, so I did. But that piece revealed another, and another and another. Tiny little pieces of skin, smaller than a fingernail, started to litter the sink as I pulled them off, staring at my own face. It was quite cathartic, peeling off my dead skin and seeing fresh pink skin underneath. It distracted from the pain. Maybe the dead skin was what was causing the pain.

I completed my face, and moved on to my neck and shoulders. Everywhere I pulled the skin away from was left smoother than before, even seeming to take away my acne. I had always been self conscious about my acne, it's oddly embarrassing to have acne at twenty-two, makes me feel like I’m back in secondary.

I think Liza or one of the others knocked on my door, saying something about being back, or leaving, or being worried about me. I couldn’t really hear over the intoxicating rush of adrenaline that was pumping through me. I had gotten to my waist and arms when my phone buzzed. They were trying to contact me, distract me from getting better, getting all of that disgusting old dead skin off of me. I was going to be so beautiful and-

[The rest of the page is illegible due to hat appears to be stains of varying fleshy hues. The writing picks up on the next piece. Statement continues.]

Statement comments:

I have actually never heard something like this statement. This was very refreshing to be honest. Elle has a very overwhelming urge to look beautiful and feel refreshed by peelng her dead, burnt skin to reveal a fresh layer. This kind of reminds me slightly of OCD, especially the compulaion part of it, if this was a normal world that is. But it's not. Anyways, there are multiple fears this could relate too, such as the flesh and corruption.

Further comments are on part two and part three of the statements.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

What if canon twilight proceeded as normal, except at some point through Bella's haze of low self-esteem and depression, Edward said something Edward-y about Rosalie (for example) and bella kinda goes "er, what". Instead of talking to him about it, she talks to one of her school friends about it within ear shot of the Cullens. I assume Edward would do his best Edward-y job of explaining it away, but would anything come of it?

Caveat

I mean, Edward says Edward-y things, especially about Rosalie, all the time. The ones about Rosalie are the ones that raise the least red flags for Bella as she views Rosalie as a potential threat who she doesn't want Edward attracted to at all. Bella's just glad he's not into Rosalie instead of her.

Bella's "er what?" moments are few and far between but canonically they've usually centered around Jacob and Edward's mutual animosity and Edward's refusal to let her anywhere near Jacob. Sadly, her most beautiful one is a cut scene in which Edward tried to subtly grant her a scholarship she never applied for so she could attend Dartmouth and she went "Edward, is this fucking you?" and Edward trying to convince her that it's not, in fact, him when it is clearly him and gets upset when Bella refuses to believe he had nothing to do with it. The other one is when Edward throws a fit in Breaking Dawn and finally gets Bella an uber expensive car to replace the Truck, Bella is mortified and has to drive super car and is very very embarrassed about it.

But basically, point being, even when Bella has had her "huh???" moments or when she really isn't on board with a thing, she usually finds herself either doing it any way or engaging in an extreme battle of wills with Edward in which both of them wait to see who can out-stubborn the other.

As for Bella's other friends... HA... I think you forget Bella doesn't have friends. Bella has the trappings of friends, mainly in Angela, but Bella prefers Angela because Angela doesn't stick her nose into things or ask questions or even care all that much from what we saw in Edward's head. Jessica, who does seem to care quite a bit, never had the same relationship with Bella after New Moon and even before then Bella had never liked her all that much. We never see Bella ever approach them about anything, not ever personal problems, just anything (Bella's big moment is asking to work on graduation things with Angela and asking Jessica and the gang to the movies to get Charlie off her back in New Moon). And talking about Edward? Forget about it. Bella barely wanted to talk about Edward with Jessica when it was good news and she was very flattered about Edward's attention and actually mildly interested in telling Jessica how amazing it was.

Even Jacob, Bella never wants to talk about Edward with him, in part because Jacob despises Edward and makes that quite clear and views himself as a romantic rival and makes that quite clear, but also because Bella just doesn't want to talk about Edward with him. Bella doesn't want to talk about Edward or things Edward says or does with anybody, that's for Bella and not something she has any interest in discussing with anyone else.

This isn't to knock on Bella, it's just a part of her personality, and I think a part of having grown up with Renee who from the little we see of her makes it very clear that she doesn't want to hear about Bella. (Note how little we see of her throughout the series and how little she questions even when she is questioning things such as why Bella moved, why she's getting married right out of high school, or anything). Bella's grown up in an environment where it's all about Renee and no one wants to hear what the fuck Bella is doing or thinking, which means she's not going to be the type to share her business with anyone at all.

Basically, you're asking Bella to be an entirely different person.

Bella Becomes an Entirely Different Person for Two Seconds

Alright, Bella tells Angela that Edward says some mean things about Rosalie because an SI has infected her brain. The other Cullens wouldn't snitch, I don't think, as nothing good would come of it. It doesn't even matter, it's high school gossip, and Rosalie knows full well Edward says shit about her all the time (to his credit or lack thereof, he's not even talking behind her back, he does it to her face)

If Edward's there, I imagine he pulls Bella aside to assure her he and Rosalie just have a difficult sibling relationship but that they fight sometimes and do care about each other. Bella, being an only child, hasn't really seen or experienced much of this personally and doesn't get how annoying even beloved siblings can be.

Bella returns to being Bella and has 0 problems with Edward.

[acetechne]

Second spread of east coast vacation art, these two paintings are on the historic site of Africville in Halifax's north end. The church was rebuilt to commemorate the destruction of the neighbourhood and is an amazing museum, but you can feel the systematic, infrastructural racism just trying to get there if you're not driving yourself.

(you can also see a glimpse of the Dartmouth harbour on the left side there, but I didn't take an on-location photo of that piece!)

[alexquisites-blog]

|Tempest Unleashed|Chapter 1: 2005|

Word Count: 523

It was an afternoon at Dartmouth College filled with students all across the country, setting up their booths and preparing their science projects. There were tons of colleges scattered throughout the floor, each of them focusing on their specific.

Charlotte was filled with energy and filled with confidence, setting up her science project to show off. She stands wearing Muskogee University weather jacket with her name tag. She was gazing at the floor with her eyes preparing herself. Scott, on the other hand, was dressed in a MIT jacket, name tag, and jeans. He was standing tall, filled with arrogance. He was busy making sure his project was perfect and ready to go as he was giving those who walked by a smirk.

As Charlotte finishes up so does Scott as the two look at each other's projects before the two lock eyes with one another, a challenge for the two of them.

"Wow, someone decided to bring the big guns to this thing. Especially coming from MIT. Must be nice to have all those resources." Charlotte said, scanning his project before looking at him crossing her arms.

"Well, it seems to me that Muskogee University must be thriving on the strength. What is it? Oh yeah, tornado research? I didn't realize they were in the business of weather control." He said, looking up with a smirk.

"You don't get it do you? We actually make a difference, not like you guys who play with fancy gadgets and try to be all perfect." She raised a brow.

"Fancy gadgets? For the love of God, people like you always say that. My project's about quantum computing. Now tell me, what's your big breakthrough for what was it? Muskogee University. Is it predicting tornadoes? If it is, that's a really great party trick." Scott said, leaning against his table.

"That actually sounds pretty boring. You should really know that some of us like me actually care about making a strong impact. But I guess when you're busy showing off your quantum crap you miss the point."

"Nothing about quantum computing is boring. But I guess when you're busy chasing storms, you miss out on the real science of it all. Classic Muskogee University fashion." He mocked.

"Whatever you say, Quantum Jackass. Let's just see how your 'quantum computing' holds up against a real challenge like mine." She scoffed doing air quotes.

"Bring it on, Tornado Brat. Now, let's see if your storm-chasing skills are worth more than your weathered jacket there."

As they exchange a quick and simple argument, a competition official arrives to start the long event ahead of them. Charlotte and Scott turn their attention to the task at hand. Throughout the competition, the tension between them is evident and continues to grow. Despite their disagreements, their competitive spirit drives them to push each other to do better. The day wraps up with both teams performing well, but the rivalry remains. As they pack up, Charlotte throws a final comment over her shoulder.

"See you around, Quantum Jackass at more competitions I will beat your ass at." She smiled.

"You too, Tornado Brat."

[mariacallous]

U.S. President Donald Trump’s second-term trade war officially began on Tuesday with fresh tariffs on China and retaliation from Beijing, but that’s only a small sample of what lies ahead.

In his first term, the self-declared “tariff man” levied tariffs on a scale unseen since the 1930s, though he had fairly narrow goals: protect some favored industries like steel; focus on China, the U.S.’s biggest rival; and pressure allies to line up with U.S. political goals. His first sallies this time followed part of that playbook when he threatened tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China over what he said were their lax policies on immigration and drug traffic.

But he has a bigger goal in mind for his second term with plans he is still cooking up. Trump seeks to remake global trade based on what he calls “reciprocity”—treating other countries, supposedly, in the same fashion as they treat the United States. China is not the target this time—or at least not the only one. He has his sights set on any country with which the U.S. has a large, persistent trade deficit, which in his mind means it is treating the U.S. “terribly.” Success would mean sharply reducing the trade deficit, no matter which country he hits or what other geopolitical goals it impedes.

Former President Joe Biden, for instance, talked about defending Taiwan against China, a traditional aim of Republican China hawks such as new Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump, in contrast, is threatening to wreck Taiwan’s economy with up to 100 percent tariffs on its semiconductors and also require it to pay the U.S. for defense. Although Trump has packed his administration with China hawks, he has long sought accommodation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade and other issues.

“Trump at this point is absolutely not focused on China, both in terms of what’s been seen in public and what’s happening behind the scenes,” said Derek Scissors, a China expert at the American Enterprise Institute who has long focused on Trump’s trade plans.

Since the 1990s, exporting to the U.S. has been like driving on an open road. In Trump’s plan, that road will become a toll bridge, with a 10 percent or 20 percent passage fee—his planned “universal tariff”—unless he decides to waive it, whether for countries or individual companies. “If you don’t make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff,” he told global corporate leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, last month via videoconference.

Underlying Trump’s plans is the seemingly simple concept of reciprocity. Major U.S. trading partners have tariff levels higher than the United States does, so the U.S. should hike its tariffs to those heights or beyond for trade to be fair. “Eye for an eye,” Trump said in a 2023 campaign video explaining his plan to pass what he called the “Trump Reciprocal Trade Act.”

A White House official said the president and his trade team haven’t finalized their plans and are still exploring options. “Reciprocity is a big focus of the president,” the official said. “There’s also question about  general restrictions, and he has talked about reviving manufacturing and industry.”

Reciprocity as a trade concept dates back at least to Thomas Jefferson, said Dartmouth College economic historian Douglas Irwin. “Where a Nation imposes high Duties on our productions, or prohibits them altogether, it may be proper for us to do the same by theirs,” the then-secretary of state wrote in 1793.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt used the concept differently in the 1930s as he sought to wean the world off the protectionism engendered by the Smoot-Hawley tariff wars. He negotiated a series of reciprocal trade agreements where the United States and a trading partner agreed to lower tariffs for some goods, and then the U.S. applied those reduced tariffs to other countries with which it had a reciprocal deal.

After World War II, individual deals gave way to multilateral rounds of tariff reductions, with the U.S. taking the lead. Again, reciprocity was the guiding principle—the United States would only cut tariffs if other countries did, too. But the tariff reductions weren’t equal. Looking to lead the way and woo allies during the Cold War, the U.S. cut tariffs more deeply.

It was a good deal. Consumers benefited from cheaper and more varied goods, and domestic producers were forced to up their game to outcompete foreign firms. Trade expansion has boosted U.S. GDP by $2.6 trillion since 1950, according to the free-trade Peterson Institute for International Economics.

But the downsides of liberalized trade became clear over the years, too, as foreign competition from first Japan and then China hollowed out U.S. factory towns in the Midwest and Southeast, such as Olney, Ill., and Hickory, N.C. It was one thing to push for minimal tariffs when China was poor and struggling and quite another as it grew to be the world’s largest exporter.

Chinese average tariffs of as high as 10 percent compared to U.S. tariffs of 3.4 percent seemed grossly unfair, let alone Indian average tariffs as much as 50.8 percent or Indonesia’s 37.1 percent. Those countries also use regulations and subsidies far more than the U.S. to protect domestic industries.

“U.S. exporters face formal barriers nearly three times higher than those the United States imposes on importers, and nontariff barriers imposed on U.S. exporters are 36 percent higher than those faced by importers to the United States,” Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers wrote in 2018.

Now Trump wants to flip FDR’s concept of reciprocity on its head and lead the world back to an era of protectionism. He wants to boost U.S. tariffs at least to the level of U.S. trading partners. Realizing the difficulty of negotiating individual deals, he’s promised a 10 percent or 20 percent across-the-board universal tariff to start.

Forget Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat; Trump’s world is rutted and strewn with boulders and sinkholes. “Let’s just say this: We’re going to make great deals, and we have all the cards,” Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago press conference in December.

Trump says the deals would restore fairness to the trading system, protect U.S. jobs, and force companies to reshore operations to the United States. But the effort has huge downsides, including trade wars with allies and higher prices via tariffs and retaliation. It also takes the focus off China, because so many other countries are in Trump’s crosshairs that it’s tough to focus on any one country.

When Trump threatened tariffs this past weekend over immigration and drugs, he proposed a 25 percent levy on Mexico and Canada, though he delayed them for a month after talking to the leaders of both countries and claiming they had made concessions. Especially striking was his willingness essentially to tear up the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a free trade  pact he negotiated his first term.

He carried out his threat of 10 percent tariffs against China and said the levies could go higher, prompting Beijing to retaliate with tariffs and other measures. But he plans to talk to Xi in a few days, where the two might work out a deal, too.

“The U.S. can’t handle China on its own,” said former U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky, who negotiated the U.S. World Trade Organization (WTO) deal with China. “It needs allies and partners who view China in the same way as the U.S. For the U.S. to reinforce those relationships, the last thing you want to do is pick fights with our friends. It’s counterproductive.”

Peter Navarro, Trump’s White House senior trade advisor, has provided the clearest roadmap of Trump’s reciprocal approach in an essay in Project 2025, the 887-page compilation of recommendations for Trump 2.0. Navarro ranks trade targets according to the size of their bilateral trade deficit with the United States and the difference in average tariff levels.

He comes up with a hit list of eight targets: India and China are at the top of the list, followed by the European Union, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam, and then Malaysia and Japan. All but China are U.S. allies or countries the U.S. would like as allies. Strikingly, the list doesn’t include Mexico, Canada, or Colombia—Trump’s first targets.

Trump’s Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, also would divide the world into different camps when it comes to tariffs. “I think we should make it very clear that there is a green, a yellow, and a red bucket, and we let everyone know where they are [and] here’s what we ask of you,” he said at a conference at the conservative Manhattan Institute last June.

Even a successful campaign against all the trade miscreants to equalize tariffs, though, would have a small impact on the overall trade deficit. Whether the U.S. raises its tariffs to reach the levels of other countries or they lower their tariffs to U.S. levels, Navarro estimates the overall trade deficit would fall by about 10 percent—not much of a gain for a series of trade battles that would shake markets and threaten global growth and inflation.

Trump talked about a reciprocal trade offensive in his first administration. In 2019, he proposed the United States Reciprocal Trade Act, which would have given him authority to raise tariffs to competitors’ levels and used his State of the Union to promote the bill. Navarro led the administration’s lobbying effort, but the bill never made it out of committee in the House or Senate, as the White House focused on battling China instead.

This time, Trump has made reciprocity a priority and used one of his first executive orders to launch a series of studies this year that would provide the grounding for his effort. His picks for top trade positions are echoing his priority.

“We are treated horribly by the global trading environment,” Trump’s Commerce secretary-designate, Howard Lutnick, said in his confirmation hearing. “We need to be treated with respect, and we can use tariffs to create reciprocity, fairness, and respect.”

There are plenty of issues to be resolved first, including whether to try to push again for legislation or use trade law or emergency powers to create an across-the-board tariff. Also, what criteria would the administration use to eliminate the tariffs if a trading partner makes concessions? Trump also must decide whether to follow up his initial move with a heavy tariff—a kind of big bang approach—or move gradually.

Bessent, for instance, has talked of phasing in tariffs. Last year, he advocated for a gradual increase of tariffs specifically on China that could eventually reach 60 percent. The Financial Times recently reported he is pushing for the same approach when it comes to the universal tariff of 10 percent or 20 percent on all trading partners.

How much to focus on China, too, will surely be a matter of controversy inside the administration. Navarro, who has been the main advocate for a broad reciprocal approach, is also probably the economic team’s most fervent China warrior.

Before he joined the administration, he released a promotional video for one of his books that featured a dagger, labeled “Made in China,” stabbing the heart of America. He hasn’t mellowed since then and has a more powerful role in an administration full of political appointees who lack his knowledge of trade policy and long relationship with Trump.

Jamieson Greer, Trump’s pick for trade representative, has called for “selective decoupling” from China and ending that country’s trade preferences, known as permanent normal trade relations, which now generally provides China the same tariff rates the U.S. provides other WTO members. Steve Bannon, Trump’s former top adviser, would focus on forcing China to accept a much tougher trade deal than the Phase One accord of Trump’s first term. Bannon is still close to Trump White House officials.

But Trump has a history of limiting trade coercion of China, at least at first, in hopes of getting its help on other issues. During the first administration, he delayed trade action on China for a year while he sought Xi’s help in restraining North Korea, to the consternation of his national security staff. Now he says he wants China’s help in pressuring Russia to settle the war in Ukraine.

Beijing is also preparing an offer to buy more U.S. goods, as Trump has long sought, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Lingling Wei. China had pledged to buy an additional $200 billion worth of goods over two years as part of the Phase One deal it signed during the first Trump administration but fell 40 percent short of that commitment because of the pandemic and other factors.

Trump never singles out China, his former aides say. He feels that gives Xi plenty of room to make concessions without seeming weak. A small devaluation of the Chinese yuan would eliminate most of the impact of the 10 percent tariff just imposed, for instance.

Market reaction is another reason Trump may be wary of pressuring China too hard from the start. The first year of the Trump trade war against China was a lousy year for stocks and acted as a constraint on Trump’s trade threats. The S&P 500 dropped more than 6 percent in 2018, its worst performance in a decade.

“Market volatility also spiked, meaning good days were really good and bad days were really bad,” noted financial journalist Jon Hilsenrath. “During one three-month stretch late in the year, the market was down 20 percent.”

On Monday, for instance, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 650 points, reacting to the news of tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China before bouncing back and finishing at 122.75 points, or 0.3 percent, after Trump said he was delaying the Mexico levies

“Trump is the X factor on trade in his administration,” said Peter Harrell, a former Biden National Security Council official now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Capitals around the world are plotting their response as Trump shapes his plans for what he calls reciprocal trade.

[bluebeetle]

also so weird driving into halifax cuz its The Big City to me, and coming in from dartmouth on the bridges you get a good view of everything and despite not seeing myself as such i suddenly become a lil country bumpkin, coming to the big city for the first time <-has been to bigger cities but none this close to home

[celltheory]

i know this is a me problem but i cannot get super invested in challengers because i do not care about either of those men at all...josh o'connor used to be so special to me...and now...still cannot articulate why i find men so boring and/or offputting. used to feel like i was ~protesting too much~ iykwim but now...i don't know. the ratio of fandom's investment in men vs. women is so tiring but is def not going to change and there are reasons why that's true that i understand. but i just...ugh.

tennis at its peak to me was serena/caro/angie/maria/vika/venus/etc and all the contrasting and weird dynamics that were SO different from each other. you can add aga in there too. and it was interesting because of the expectations of how they were meant to act vs. how they did. and now i really dislike them both and am disappointed/angry about a lot of their views, but the chrissie/martina rivalry was so INSANE. like that documentary haunts me and the book about them is like...wow. and the men's versions just do not hit the same for me. like roger/rafa is so boring and i think if i had been paying attention during the peak of it, i'd be more interested in it? but it's so...blah. i think maria/serena tensions are insaaane and for so many reasons and i think it's partially understandable, partially a shame that their rivalry and careers get reduced to these very simplistic tropes that i think are deeply unfair to both of them. like people think maria is one thing and she really is not? and flattening her is shit for so many reasons...god. anyway. i don't know what my point is. i know that a WTA movie wouldn't hit the same way as challengers. and i know it's also just not a movie for me. because the whole ot3 never really works. writing the fic for it was like ok. do i care about him being pathetic? and the answer is no!

rafa/novak is actually kind of interesting to me ngl i miss that account....the history was like damn ok! rn i'm def more lenient of caring about ~shit people or i guess being interested. like obviously not the most vile people like zverev is just so horrible to me i cannot. and then there's more opinion based ones like rublev drives me bonkers because the babygirlism of him is disgusting to me and i think...whatever. this isn't my point. this was supposed to be a post about how i wish i could get invested in f1 but i cannot. the pathway of like...nba fandom (a select few, imo most steph/klay which was like...not really for me but now that they're seperated and watched the wnba game sitting apart...well i am interested!) to f1 fandom to the motorsports thing which i do NOT get is so baffling to me.

hockey is like...the one sport i know the most about and have loved for the longest period of time but i just...i am not built to be romantic about sports or like...oh my god these men hugged. wow. what does it MEAN. like i don't get any of it. i've tried reading the articles and the books and i just find it so embarrassing. and boring! and obvious? unless it gets turned into something that i do not really think exists but it sounds smart. i don't know. like team dynamics etc are so interesting to me but i also think they're so segmental. and contextual that i get sooo bored of like...the reading into it. and then i feel bad because people act like you should be murdered if you read into it with women. but i get that because women's sports already has so many existing relationships that it's not as fun to play pretend because it's a lot easier to forget about male athlete's rl partners etc than like...the fact that mpp is marrying laura stacey. like dartmouth's laura stacey. can you believe that? i still cannot tbh. i don't know! i have no point. sometimes i feel like i am hanging onto fandom and i really should not because i feel like such a drag. the new tennis rpf fics has actually been so good because it isn't boring m/m pairings with no tension. SORRY! but like damn...is this growth? idk. i don't even have anything to bring to the table rn...

also back to challengers the only positive emotion i've had about it in a while was comparing that trio to ben affleck/jlo/matt damon. now that is interesting.

it is baffling to me that qinwen/iga has been the pairing that's hit the most out of every wta pairing i've randomly decided to try. aryna/paula does not interest me at all i'm so sorry. the emma/qinwen was v good and i think the edge of it is what i like. too far but not really at all. unless you're like...rpf should be illegal. which i obviously don't feel that way but i def experience a lot of internal shame about it. i miss writing but i think the unfinished twu fic that will never become anything makes me not want to start writing anything that isn't a one shot that taps out by 10k for sure.

[harriswalz4usabybr]

Saturday, August 10, 2024 - Kamala Harris

This is the 'official' schedule of Kamala Harris today on the campaign trail. With some added detail for press purposes. Additionally, the Vice President is traveling with Mayor Michelle Wu on this trip to gain some valuable insight into the region while traveling and meeting with voters.

Portland, ME Event Location: University of Southern Maine Event Type: Campaign Rally Event Time: 9:00 - 10:00 ET Dover, NH Event Location: Dover High School Event Type: Town Hall Community Forum Event Time: 11:30 - 13:00 ET Hanover, NH Event Location: Dartmouth College Event Type: Interview moderated by a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, Xi Lambda Chapter Event Time: 15:30 - 17:00 ET Burlington, VT Event Location: Burlington Farmers Market Event Type: Outdoor Public Rally (w/ Food Trucks) Event Time: 19:00 - 21:30 *Note there is a meet and greet for local public leaders from 20:30-21:30

Here are some excerpts from today's speeches:

Portland, ME "Women's rights are not just a matter of policy; they are a matter of principle. Here in Maine and across the country, we are witnessing an unprecedented attack on women's autonomy and access to healthcare. The right to choose is fundamental, and it is under threat like never before. We cannot stand idly by while politicians, driven by a desire to control women's bodies, strip away the rights that generations have fought so hard to secure. Coach Walz and I are committed to ensuring that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has the freedom to make decisions about her own health and future." "But this fight goes beyond legislation—it's about dignity, respect, and equality. It's about ensuring that every woman, whether she's in Portland, Maine, or any corner of this nation, can access the care she needs without fear or stigma. We must defend and expand access to reproductive healthcare, protect providers who are dedicated to their patients, and support women in every aspect of their lives. Together, we will stand up, speak out, and ensure that women's rights are protected and expanded, not rolled back. We're not going back!"

Dover, NH "Education is the foundation of our democracy, and it starts with ensuring that every child, regardless of their zip code, has access to high-quality, affordable education. In New Hampshire and across the nation, we face a crisis in education funding that leaves too many children behind. Coach Walz and I are committed to closing the gaps in our education system, investing in our public schools, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. From early childhood education to higher education, we must prioritize the needs of our students and educators." "But education doesn't stop when the school bell rings. Child care is a critical component of our nation's educational infrastructure. Too many families are struggling to find affordable, quality care for their children, and it's holding our economy back. We need to treat child care as the public good it is, by investing in early childhood programs, supporting child care providers, and ensuring that working parents have the resources they need to thrive. The future of our nation depends on the education and care of our youngest citizens, and we must act now to build a system that works for everyone."

Hanover, NH Q: "Vice President Harris, as a former student activist yourself, what advice would you give to students today who are passionate about making change, particularly in the areas of climate justice and social equity?" A: "My advice to student activists is to never underestimate the power of your voice and your ability to drive change. When I was in college, I learned that activism is not just about protesting; it's about organizing, building coalitions, and staying committed to your cause. Whether you're fighting for climate justice, social equity, or any other issue, remember that your passion and persistence are what will make a difference. The challenges we face today—like the climate crisis and systemic inequality—are daunting, but they are not insurmountable. Keep pushing, keep advocating, and keep building the future you want to see." Q: "How do you plan to address the intersection of climate change and educational access, particularly for communities of color that are often the most affected by both?" A: "Climate change and educational access are deeply interconnected, especially for communities of color who are disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards and underfunded schools. We need to approach these challenges with a holistic perspective. That means investing in green infrastructure and clean energy in underserved communities, while also ensuring that schools in these areas have the resources they need to provide quality education. It also means empowering students with the knowledge and skills to lead on climate issues. By integrating environmental justice into our education system, we can prepare the next generation to tackle these challenges head-on and create a more equitable and sustainable future."

Burlington, VT "Burlington, you are leading the way in showing how local communities can make a big impact on the environment. From renewable energy initiatives to sustainable farming practices, Vermont has demonstrated that we can build a future that prioritizes the health of our planet and the well-being of our communities. But the fight for environmental justice doesn't end at the state line—it requires a national commitment to bold, transformative action. Our Campaign is ready to take the lessons learned here in Burlington to Washington, to ensure that every community across the country has access to clean air, clean water, and a sustainable future." "Local politics matter, and your voices here in Vermont matter. Whether it's advocating for better public transportation, supporting small businesses, or pushing for policies that protect our natural resources, the work you do on the ground is the foundation for broader change. This campaign is about empowering communities like Burlington to take the lead, to innovate, and to demand the kind of leadership that prioritizes people and the planet. Together, we can create a future that is not only environmentally sustainable but also socially just, where every person has the opportunity to thrive."

~BR~

[fleurcareil]

Nova Scotia: South and East shores

Woke up with a full sunshine so the weather finally turned for the better! :) Even when staying in a cabin without having to take care of a tent, I still take about 1.5 hours to get myself sorted in the morning, from drinking my first cup of tea over my daily NY times crossword / wordle / woordle (Dutch version)/CBC news routine, getting dressed, prepping breakfast (apple or oatmeal) & lunch (sandwiches) and packing up, but I did take the time to eat breakfast on the deck in the sun before heading out... Being on the road for so long, I purposely make an effort to slow down where I can especially in the morning; I can always skip something along the way if I'm running out of time.

This day I'm driving east along the south shore of Nova Scotia to its capital Halifax where I'm spending two nights. First stop was the beautiful seaside section of Kejimkujik National Park, where I went for a 8.7km hike along the coastline. The trail starts through the coastal bog which has shrubs and small trees and then opens up to a white sand cove which is pretty on its own... until I spotted the first seals on a little island offshore! Turns out that the area has one of the largest seal concentrations in Nova Scotia, and I ended up seeing over 21 harbour seals and 3 gray seals, which are rarer but easily distinguished by their larger size (up to 2.5m length & 300kg in weight) and horse-like face.

Walking along the various coves, I met the park ranger who says I'll likely see deer and bears on the rest of the trail... "no worries, it already ate a human this morning" 😂 he assured me I got nothing to be concerned about as they mostly eat seaweed... And lo behold, within the next 15 minutes I encounter 4 deer who didn't seem to care about me, and from a vantage point I see from afar (luckily) a black bear combing the beach!! A bit more apprehensive, I continued the hike saying out loud from time to time "hey, I'm here, just a human, you can continue eating your seaweed" 😉 but all good, nothing else happened except that a tiny green snake almost gave me a heart attack when it moved while I was stepping over it, thinking "that's a strange leaf". 🤣

After all the wildlife adventure, I went for a walk through historic Lunenburg, which was recommended as a village that I must visit, but it being a mid-week pre-high season there was hardly anyone there (nor the famous Bluenose replica ship featured on the 10-cent coin) so I was not much impressed honestly. I did pick up yummy fish cakes to eat later at Peggy's Cove which rightly so, features the most visited lighthouse in Canada. Sitting on the big rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean makes you feel small!

My apartment was in Dartmouth across the harbour from Halifax so that was the perfect excuse to take the ferry to get into town - ferries make me happy and the view from the water is always impressive 😍 - after which it was a steep climb to the clock tower and the Citadel National Historic Site. A guided tour had just started which included a rifle demonstration, the noon cannon shot and the usual titbits of historic info, but I was actually quite moved by a reconstruction of the D-day Juno Beach landing by Canadian troops... Walking through the many obstacles the soldiers would have faced (without the mines & being shot at) makes me appreciate even more the courage those men had that day and during the ensuing battle. The Netherlands was liberated mostly by Canadians, for which we will be forever grateful! 

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia served lighter fare, with amongst others pretty hooked (wall) rugs from Deanne Fitzpatrick depicting local scenes; I have a hooked wall rug myself from Colombia that I love deeply as the various techniques & textures provide a great visual. For who knows the painter Maud Lewis; her entire house was moved and reconstructed inside the art gallery including all original wall paintings and furniture, quite colourful as you can see below. I'm personally not a big fan of her child-like style but apparently her paintings are a hot commodity (I had heard of her as there's many fraud paintings in circulation, not helped by the fact that she used stencils for many recurring motifs and also her husband finished sometimes her paintings).  After a morning of culture, high time for a blissful lunch break along the harbourfront which the city has done really well, with many muskoka chairs & hammocks to hang out in, very inviting!

Last touristy thing before sitting down on a patio for a sun-laden beer & snack dinner, was a visit to the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, which was the main entry point of transatlantic immigrants coming to Canada by boat. The exhibits really moved me as much rang true to what happened when I came to Canada 14 years ago; from the despair/disbelief of not being able to find a job without Canadian experience, to the "milk & honey" opportunities that I was given to build a new career, buy property and make great & diverse friends, and the pride I felt when I became a Canadian citizen; this is the only country I have never felt like a stranger and that's very meaningful to me.  All in all, an amazing day in Halifax!

The next day I drove further east along the south shore and did a couple of hikes; the Salt Marsh Trail uses an abandoned railway track that was built over a causeway across the marsh entrance, so you're walking with water on both sides. On Google Maps it appears the trail goes over water which confused me but is actually true! 😁

The second was a loop hike at Taylor Head provincial park further east, which has stunning coastline on the west side (the other side was quite boring though looking onto a lagoon). Turned out that the waterproof spraying of my hiking shoes did not work so got wet feet from walking through the bog 😒. At one of the coves, I clearly upset a sandpiper couple presumably with kids nearby, as they made a racket of noise flying low over me while I tried to walk on as fast as possible while keeping my hands over my head in case they would attack... 

I decided to skip famous Cape Breton on this trip as I had already been there many years ago (and was not a huge fan despite it being pretty) so instead I beelined across the peninsula to Pictou on the east shore. For at least 40km, there was literally nothing else than a wall of trees (apart from 4 unpaved side roads) which coming from Europe still feels like a miracle to me after all this time. I realised later that the reason why the trees seemed to be more prevalent on this road is that there was no clear-cut on the sides, whereas typically 5-15 meters is cleared on each side of the highways to better see moose/deer before they cross, and increasingly more important, to act as a wildfire break. 

Having checked into the motel quite early, I picked up a salad from the grocery store and sat at the Waterside Beach provincial park for a few hours; my very first beach on this trip! Later on, I walked through the village of Pictou which looked cute but dead. At the end of the third week, I'm ready to drive up north again through New Brunswick!

Wildlife: 21+ harbour seals, 3 gray seals, 1 black bear, 4 deer & 1 green snake (all at Kejimkujik), 1 black snake and 2 sand pipers at Taylor Head

SUPs: none

Hikes: one at Kejimkujik, one Salt Marsh Trail, one at Taylor PP.

Distance driven this week:  1373km

[real-time-twilight]

Eclipse in Real Time

June 4th, 2006 (Sunday)

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous 🌔

🌄 Sunrise: 5:18 AM

🌅 Sunset : 9:13 PM

Eclipse, Ch. 9 ("Target") {From Pg. 208, line 24}, Ch. 10 ("Scent"), Ch. 11 ("Legends")

8:30 AM (Approx.) - Bella calls Jacob after breakfast and lets him off the hook; Edward asks to speak with Jacob about Bella's mysterious intruder; Jacob suggests that Bella spend a much time as possible in La Push when not with the Cullens and arranges to come to the Swan House to get the scent

8:45 AM (Approx.) - Jake arrives at the Swan house, sweeps Bella's room and helps her wash the dishes; Jake asks Bella what it's like dating a vampire and how soon, exactly, she plans to joining the Cullens

8:53 AM (Approx.) - Jake cuts his hand on a boning knife and Bella witnesses first-hand his self-healing abilities; Bella bleaches the kitchen sink and floor

9:00 AM (Approx.) - Jake invites Bella to a bonfire in La Push before departing the Swan House; Edward re-enters the house with Bella's mail, including an acceptance letter to Dartmouth, once again trying to sell Bella on the idea of college pre-turning.

9:05 AM (Approx.) - Bella mentions her missing laundry off-handedly (still assuming that Alice moved her things while packing for the sleepover)--Edward realizes that Bella's clothes were stolen by the intruder; Carlisle calls Edward with the conclusion that not one but several newborn vampires are behind the Seattle murder spree

9:10 AM (Approx.) - Edward encourages Bella to go to the La Push bonfire

5:30 PM (Approx.) - Edward and Bella stop at the Cullen House to pick up her Honda so she can return it to Jake's garage; Bella is introduced notices the Ducatti Edward misguidedly purchased and now intends to gift to Jasper; Edward presents Bella with a motorcycle jacket and helmet, in the eventuality that she decides to use her Honda again

6:00 PM - Edward drives Bella to the boundary line, where Jake meets them in his Rabbit

9:45 PM (Approx.) - Following a large bonfire dinner, Jacob tells Bella that the bonfire is technically a tribal meeting, and Billy Black and Old Quil relate the Quileute traditions of the spirit wolves, and how they evolved in the presence of vampires

10:10 PM (Approx.) - The recitation of the Quileute traditions ends; Bella dozes off next to Jacob

11:45 PM (Approx.) - Jake wakes Bella up, having already called Edward and driven her to the treaty line

11:48 PM (Approx.) - Bella rejoins Edward on his side of the line